A dedicated troop carrier, the ship was noted for its high reliability and low maintenance. The ship's quarters are cramped due to its small size. The ship was originally designed to be carried by pre-external docking collar JumpShips.[3][2]

The ship fell out of favor by the later part of the Age of War Era, where high-capacity transports became available. A number of defeats were linked to the ship's limited carrying capacities. The design was decommissioned by the DCMS and replaced by the large capacity Seeker-class DropShips. Many of these ships were sold to various mercenary companies and Periphery powers.[3][2]

The ship has five Class 5 Autocannon, with the majority of them concentrated in the nose, with a single cannon on each flank. The ship has four 15-Tube Long-Range missile Launchers, 2 in nose and mounted aft flanks. The ship also has four Medium lasers, one mounted front side, and pair mounted in aft. The autocannons were given 14 tons of ammunition, while the LRMs given 24 tons.[3][2]

When introduced the Vulture class featured a primitive engine and armor. Compared to later versions, this Vulture offered two-thirds as much armor protection, carried a third less fuel, and was only able to reach 80% of the later Vulture's top speed. (In 2405 many of these ships were refitted to the standard described above.) BV(2.0)=1,497[5]

Cargo refit

This version of the Vulture was based on the 2405 refit. It kept the same weapons and armor, but removed the infantry and vehicle bays to maximize cargo space. The cargo carrying version can carry 1,730 tons of cargo.BV(2.0)=2,482[6]